Question about Striking / Tooling Sticks

[ChasCS]

I suppose, anything that leaves an impression, is going to work for you...

But some tools are more appropriate for the job at hand.

Those sticks appear to be from an earlier time in leather tooling history.

 

Chas

[OLDNSLOW]

I'm with the ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^mutt on this one ya live a learn, I would like to see more of how the arm motion is with one of these whacker sticks, I was think that some of those posted would make a good burnish tool / whacker stick who knew, well I guess some of ya did, me a good ol heavy maul works.

[Mjolnir]

This Idea has a lot of merit and i'm curious about the history. It does have potential for a double sided tool. Maybe different shapes? same weight. I would still think a poly or rawhide would be best. thanks tmwp43.

Ps. And never forget as ChasCS pointed out. that an impression can be made just by flapping your lips  

[ChasCS]

3 minutes ago, Mjolnir said:

This Idea has a lot of merit and i'm curious about the history. It does have potential for a double sided tool. Maybe different shapes? same weight. I would still think a poly or rawhide would be best. thanks tmwp43.

Ps. And never forget as ChasCS pointed out. that an impression can be made just by flapping your lips  

Oh the shame... Haha

Thanks for the lovely compliment. ;-)

I do express myself quite well. 

Chas

[MakerUnknown]

Fascinating how we humans gain knowledge collectively and then lose it. Or maybe not lose it entirely but can only be found in small pockets here and there. You'd think we wouldn't have to keep relearning stuff but civilizations come and then the dirt seems to cover them up only to sprout again.  Will the internet be the repository for all knowledge or will it too suffer something akin to the dark ages?

[ChasCS]

There are large computers in deep underground bunkers, mountain side, much like the world seed bank.

So yeah, that will always keep it safe, for eternity. 

 

Or or you can buy the wiki book. Haha

 

Chas

[JD62]

Hi guys, in Ken Griffin's Scrap Book he talks about the proper hold and use of the striking stick. You can often find the book on ebay, it has a lot of good ol' information not in the newer books!

[bruce johnson]

Bikermutt pretty well described the motion I use and was taught by a couple guys who made a living stamping. They were elbow resting, wrist rocking fools. Basically the stamp  driving tool of choice was a teeter totter and all you did was keep it rocking. The weight and fall of the driver did the rest. I never got as good as they did at keeping my elbow down, but i could go pretty long time spans. A few years ago some shoulder stuff was catching up with me and some of the tooling got to be a chore after a full day of work. The leatherwork side of my business was expanding but the tool side of things was growing faster. I had to make the decision and now mostly deal in tools based on my experience of using a lot of them. 

Just to show where I'm coming from I am attaching a picture of the stamping tool driving tools I have on hand and have used. Some I've used a lot more than others. Most of these are on my bench or recent acquisitions. I've got some in other sizes, some out on "try it first" deals and a couple "compare and send me back the one you don't want" trials. These are what I have right now handy. Some were early tools or ones like  i used starting out 30 years ago as a hobby and doing my own repairs. Some were heavily used in my busiest times. One is as recent as probably made last month. 

back row Left to right -

Striking stick -BTW, that is rawhide on both ends - 8 faces to wear before it needs to be recovered. If I was doing a lot of work, it would be right there handy/Rawhide maul/Unmarked maul and that's all I can say - nice poly type head head material/Don King maul/rawhide mallet/Bob Beard maul/Barry King tapered maul/CS Osborne split head hammer with rawhide inserts/three Wayne Jueschke tapered mauls and one laying in front. The two on the left have MILES on them. That's one reason I have them but there are others. The sticker price  of $100 plus on each doesn't make them everyone's choice

Foreground left - Clay Miller I just got a week ago/Harbor Freight hammer with fiberglass and rubber faces/Bear Man maul with the burl handle. 

There's probably a few I haven't tried but these represent most of the major players.

 

[bruce johnson]

JD62, 

Thank you for the nudge. I knew I had seen it somewhere and was looking through my old stuff and wasn't finding it in the Shelton or Stohlman things yet. Yes sir! Right there at the beginning of the Ken Griffin book. 

[YinTx]

BAH!  I was distinctly told by someone NOT to hold my hammer/mallet this way.  Is this the correct method that I should be using, not holding it like a hammer???

YinTx